


Unwritten History

by UnwrittenFantasy



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dalish, Dragon Age Fanfiction, Elf's, Elven, F/M, Fanfiction, Fluff, Fluffy, OC's - Freeform, Original Character(s), Romance, Sweet, The Dalish - Freeform, The Herald of Andraste, The Inquisitor - Freeform, Unwritten History, otp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2018-06-08 03:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6837517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnwrittenFantasy/pseuds/UnwrittenFantasy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young Elven girl is caught in a whirlwind of nonstop action and danger when she awakens with no memory, and the world is being torn apart by a giant rift between the waking world and the fade. With her new friends to help and guide her, she goes on an epic adventure to try and restore her memories, as well as the world. Demons are not the only threat, as Templars and Mages are waging a war across the world of Thedas, and a hidden enemy still looms beyond the darkness. </p><p>A Solavellan Fanfiction story based on my own character, Aminthia Lavellan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Part One

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: This story was originally written 2 years ago. Due to several factors (mental health playing a big role), I was unable to finish it or even edit it.  
> Now, at the beginning of 2018, I am finally going to finish my story. Or at least, attempt to.  
> I really want to write my version of Aminthia's story, the way I wanted to play her as I went through the game. I want her to become an important, fully fledged character who people adore. And I want to write again. 
> 
> So thank you all for reading my story, and thank you for your continued support while I work on it. Every Kudos and Comment helps me to become an even better writer, which in turn helps me to overcome my mental illnesses. Thank you.

Nightmares of lightning and thunder flashed in her mind, slowly fading to swirling clouds of green and jagged crystals, fogging her thoughts and making it hard to breathe. She tried to wake up, but couldn’t. Darkness consumed her, rising like overflowing ink, wet like water, thick as blood. She was pressed against some sort of ceiling, unable to move to higher ground. She screamed for help, but not a sound escaped her lips. Then suddenly she was submerged, swallowed up by the very blackness that surrounded her. She held her breath for as long as she could before finally gasping, letting the liquid fill her lungs. 

Then there was nothing. 

No, not nothing. There were lingering memories of something. A man? A woman? A light? It was holding out its hand towards her, reaching. She tried to reach back, fingertips just shy of theirs before she was taken by darkness once more. 

Was this the cold grasp of death? It was painful yet numb, dark yet light. There was nothingness, and still, she was overwhelmed. Claustrophobic. 

She couldn’t breathe.  
She was breathing too hard. 

Her heart was pounding against her chest. Does the heart still beat once it has stilled? 

Death was strange and horrible. It was painful. When the green shards of crystal appeared and began digging into her hand with a sharp twisting and spinning, drawing blood to bubble through her skin and pool to the ground, sticky and thick, she wanted to scream. Closing her eyes tightly, her mouth stretching open to let the sound escape, there was nothing.

There was unending nothing.

\---

Sitting up suddenly, eyes shooting open with a half-scream escaping her lungs, she gripped her left palm in her right, a spark shooting from the pain and lighting the entire room in green. Without a moment to understand what was happening, someone was on top of her, shoving her down on the bed, her head slamming into the wall behind. There were hands on her arms and legs, stilling her thrashing. She screamed, attempting to kick and punch her way free, but it was useless. What was happening?

“Stop! Still the elf!” A voice called out strong and authoritative. The room was spinning, and she was unable to make out where the voice was coming from. Her heart beat against her chest with force, as if it were to burst from her very flesh at any moment. She was hyperventilating. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe-

“I said still yourself! You are only making it worse by panicking!” The same voice was demanding. It was a woman.

Giving in with hesitation, she allowed her body to relax, her muscles spasming with ache over every inch of flesh. The hands were still on her, holding her steady. She started to blink rapidly, trying to focus her vision. It was blurry, and the room still spun. Her head was throbbing. She felt like throwing up. 

In fact, she did. She suddenly found the strength to push the offending hands from her, just in time to turn her body and retched onto the floor. It burned her throat. She could not stop crying. 

The hands on her legs released her, but she could feel their presence still. There were bruises on her skin where they previously laid. She threw up some more. Bile, wretched and putrid. Her head wouldn’t stop throbbing. 

“Give her some room,” the same voice was calmer now, “..and fetch some water.” Heavy footsteps on a wooden floor. Then gone. There was silence, aside from her own choked sobs. The tears burned her eyes. 

Breathing heavily, arms shaking in an attempt to hold herself sitting up, she finally managed to speak. Her voice was small and cracked, stuttering in her words, “W-w-where am I? What-what is happening?” She sounded like a small child, fearful of the world. She tried to wipe her eyes with her sleeve- it smelled of fire and ash- but noticed that her wrists were bound together by rope. 

She glanced up to take in her surroundings. It was a small place, a single room cabin of sorts. There were two windows, one on either side, with a door at the front and a fireplace at the back. She was set upon a bed, with straw pillows and thin sheets. There was a single desk, though it was covered in potions and herbs, many papers, a chest beside it and the opposing wall. And in the small room, there were three men in armor, one by the door and two beside her bed. There were also two women in armor, arms crossed and eyes set upon her. One wore a hooded cloak of some kind, her skin fair, with fiery red hair. The other had shorter hair that was dark, with a harder expression, one of anger. 

The fair-skinned woman spoke first, her voice still and calm, “Do you not remember what happened? How you were brought here?” She had an accent of some kind. 

The girl shook her head, another tear escaping her eye and leaving a clear path down her dirty cheek. The other woman, with the dark hair, stepped towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders, her grip firm, “You do not remember how our men dragged you here? How you appeared out of the fade in the middle of the bloodied rubble that was once the Conclave?” Her grip hardened, causing the elf to whimper. Fear sunk it’s nasty talons into her heart, causing her to pull away from the dark-haired woman as quickly as she could, cornering herself on the bed and pulling her knees against her chest. The woman released her, throwing her hands up in exasperation. 

The fair-skinned woman placed her hand upon the other’s shoulder, “Leave her be, Cassandra. She is obviously distressed. She may need some time to recover-”

Cassandra turned towards her angrily, “We do not have the time, Leliana! If we do not do something now, the Breach may swallow the whole world.” She looked again at the elf, pointing an accusing finger, “You must know something, anything! Explain this,” she grabbed the rope that bound the elf’s wrists, lifting them into the air as a green energy sparked in her left palm once more. It hurt, sending a rushing pain up her arm and into her neck, causing her to cry out in pain. Cassandra released her, taking a step back. The elf tried to make herself look small and tucking her hands between her knees as if to take some of the pain away. “I-I can’t!” she screamed, “I can’t remember anything!” Her voice was wavering. 

The reality of everything began to sink in. ‘She couldn't remember anything.’ She stared at her hands with widened eyes. She couldn’t remember anything. Not her name, her family, her past, her life. Anything. Who was she?

Cassandra and Leliana watched her skeptically, “What is your name?” Leliana asked. The elven girl shook her head, her shoulders shuddering, “I don’t... I can’t...” she sniffled, “I can’t remember- I don’t remember anything..” 

Leliana opened her mouth to speak when a soldier suddenly pushed the door open. “Ser,” he said with urgency, “It’s getting worse. The demons are getting closer to Haven, and we can’t keep up for much longer. What do we do?” 

Cassandra stared at the girl for a long moment before turning to Leliana. “Go to the forward camp, Leliana. We will meet you there.” Leliana paused before nodding, “Then you should hurry,” she responded, turning towards the door and taking the three armed guards with her as she left.

Everything hurt. The elf girl held her knees to her chest, hiding her face in them. Her arm spasmed, causing her to clench her teeth in a way to keep from screaming- again. Her head would not stop throbbing. Everything hurt. 

This was a nightmare. 

She was startled when Cassandra took her by the hands once more, cutting the rope with a small knife. “Come, we must go to the forward camp with Leliana. I will show you what has become of the sky and what has become of the Conclave.” There was a hint of sympathy, or perhaps pity, in her voice. Maybe as a way to calm the girl down, or maybe because she truly felt sorry for her. 

The girl sat still for several moments, her fear paralyzing her heart. What was the point? Was this woman, Cassandra, just going to kill her? She didn’t even know what was going on, let alone why her hand was sparking green lightning and in pain. The room was still spinning, and time was moving too fast. 

As she slowly found the strength to stand, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and setting her bare feet on the floor, she saw a mirror above the desk. The young elven girl that stared back at her in the reflection appeared lost, hurt, and confused. 

She had long brown hair, mostly matted and filthy looking. However, she could still see that there were fair curls here or there. Her body was covered in freckles. The dress she wore was torn, stained with blood and dirt in various places.

Cassandra stood by the door, watching the elven girl as she stared at her own reflection and taking in every detail. “Come, we mustn't take too long. Leliana will be waiting,” her voice was still firm. The girl nodded slowly before finding the courage to stand. Her steps were silent as she moved towards the door. Cassandra held it open for the two of them and she paused just at the threshold, her eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness of daylight. But instead of being greeted by the sun, she was greeted by a blinding green swirl of clouds high above the mountains that surrounded the valley. She stared in disbelief.

“That is the Breach,” Cassandra explained, “It has been steadily growing over the past few days, but today it seems to be pulsing, getting worse. It is a rift between this world and the Fade,” she paused to look at the Breach just as it shot large rocks from its gaping hole, the debris flying through the air and hitting a nearby mountainside. “It is not the only such rift between the worlds. There are many smaller ones appearing all over Thedas where demons are attacking anyone who gets too close-”

“D-d-demons?” The girl stuttered, finally pulling her gaze away from the Breach to look at Cassandra. “Th-there are d-demons? Are they dangerous? Are they killing p-people?” 

Cassandra studied her a moment before replying, “Yes, there are demons. A lot of them. And if what that soldier was saying was true, then there are many coming towards us as we speak.” She lead the way, walking down a path towards a bridge, “And if Solas was correct, then perhaps that mark on your hand can close the rifts and stop the demons once and for all.”

“The.. mark?” She looked down at her own hand, the green scar pulsing on her palm. There were smaller scars, like veins, seemingly growing from it, wrapping around the base of her fingers and crawling up towards her wrist. They too pulsed, a tingling sensation that caused her flesh to crawl. 

“Yes, the mark. The apostate I had studying it theorized that it could ultimately close the Breach,” Cassandra stopped and turned towards her. “If you were to succeed, then you would pay for your crimes.” 

“What? W-What crimes? I don’t know... What I did.”

Cassandra stalled. “You really don't remember, do you?” She sighed, “The Breach destroyed the Conclave, where the holiest of holies were all gathered together in an effort to return peace to Ferelden. The mages and Templars have been fighting for ages now and our Divine Justinia was going to find a way to stop the war,” she paused, her voice heavy with emotion. “Justinia was going to save us from this war that was never-ending. She was going to bring peace where there was none. And the explosion that caused the Breach killed her. It killed them all.”

“So.. so you th-think..” the girl whimpered, her eyes watering with new tears, “All those people- they just... Are they all dead? And.. and I-I’m to blame?” She started wringing her dress sleeve in her hands, using it as a source of comfort. Cassandra looked away and started walking once again, assuming she would follow. “Yes. That was the initial idea. You were the only one found alive, and that mark..” she let her sentence trail. The girl followed slowly, her gaze going from the ground to the Breach. Did she cause this? 

As they came to the bridge, two soldiers stood on either side of the gate and saluted Cassandra upon her entrance. They opened it to allow her and the elven prisoner to pass, watching the girl closely. 

On the bridge were more soldiers. Most of them were lying on the ground while others tended to their wounds. Some were not moving. 

The girl tried to look away, looking at Cassandra instead, “So.. you think my mark can... help?” 

Cassandra nodded, “It is believed so, yes.” She raised her eyebrows in thought, “Are you considering helping us then? There is nowhere else for you to go, you know. And we do plan a trial for the murder of the Divine.”

The girl hesitated. What other choice did she really have, she wondered? Looking up at the Breach, seeing the rocks and lightning shoot from it’s clashing clouds, she realized that there was no other choice. “I.. I-I have to try, I suppose.”

“So..?” Cassandra looked at her, hopeful. 

“Alright,” she responded in kind, swallowing her fear as best as she could. “I will try.. But I don’t think-”

“That’s all that matters. Let us hurry.”

\---

The pair walked for a short while, passing burning wagons and bodies on the sides of the road. The girl tried to keep the contents of her stomach down, for with every step she felt dizzier and weaker. Her hand no longer hurt, but it still convulsed each time the Breach expanded. 

Cassandra told her that the mark was killing her. 

She debated on running away. Though if she did, she would not get very far. She was too weak to even make the attempt. However, that didn’t stop her from glancing at the paths that lead away from the main road.

As they approached another bridge, Cassandra cleared her throat, “I am.. Sorry, that you cannot remember your name, or who you are.” The girl watched her warily but did not respond. Cassandra sighed, “It must be hard. All of this must be frightening and.. Bizarre. And yet you agreed to help us to close the Breach, even if it’s for naught,” she paused and looked at the girl, “So, thank you. And, I’m sorry.” 

The girl blinked in her surprise, not sure how to respond. “I.. thank y-you,” she said timidly. Cassandra gave her an awkward smile before she started to cross the bridge. A soldier who was tending to some wounded stood and saluted, “Ser, there are more demons ahead, and they are overpowering us.” She furrowed her brow, “How many? Do you have a count?” He nodded, “There’s-”

A rapid flash of light, followed by a loud crashing, hit them all with force. The bridge crumbled and collapsed beneath them, flinging them all to the frozen river below. The girl let out a scream, but it was swallowed up by the boom and crash of rock and wood. A rock hit her arm, another her head. And as quickly as it started, it ended. 

The next thing she knew, she was laying on the ground, the taste of blood in her mouth. She groaned, blinking as the dust settled around her. She could see Cassandra was a short ways away, already standing and wiping the dirt from the front of her armor. She wiped at her nose, a trickle of blood smearing on the back of her glove. “Maker,” she muttered before looking over at the girl and approaching her. She reached down to take her hand “Are you okay? Can you walk?” Their hands connected and she pulled her to her feet. The girl nodded, swallowing her shock, “I.. I can-” she halted in her words, having caught something further away. “What- what is that?” she stammered, staring at the creature that rose from the ground. Cassandra turned and groaned, pulling her sword from its hilt, “That is a demon! Stay behind me!” With that, the woman warrior ran towards the monster, a fierce battle cry echoing in the small canyon as she bashed her shield into it with force, knocking it several paces from her. 

The girl watched Cassandra with wide-eyed amazement, even in her terrified state. She wanted to help even though she didn't know how. Suddenly another demon was upon her from behind, slashing its claws across her back with such force that it knocked her to the ground. She cried out in surprise and terror, landing harshly on the ice. In a fight-or-flight attempt to protect herself, she rolled onto her back and threw her hands in the air, trying to defend herself.

She held her arms above her head, her eyes closed tightly, for several long seconds. All she could hear was her own breathing. When nothing happened, she peeked out from behind her arms, only to see the demon was frozen solid in a block of ice. Staring at the now frozen statue, she pushed herself away and scrambled to her feet. What had happened? She stared at her own hands, shaky as they were. Did she do that? The ground rumbled, causing her to snap out of her daze, forcing her to start running the other way- right into Cassandra.

“You’re a mage?” The warrior asked, obviously shocked at the news, “That may explain some of this but... No, you do not remember.” She posed with her sword still barred, “Even so, are you a threat?” 

The elven girl shook her head rapidly, still shaken from just discovering this herself, “No- no Cassandra, I promise. I just.. I-I-I don’t know how it happened-”

“Calm yourself,” Cassandra responded slowly, sheathing her sword. “I cannot protect you. So you must protect yourself, it seems." She looked at where the bridge once was, a mass of bloody bodies in the rubble. "Now that the bridge is destroyed, we're on our own." She was still looking at the rubble as if looking for something in particular. The girl couldn't bear to even glance in the same direction. 

Cassandra walked toward the remains, bending down to pick something up. She returned with a long staff, a small crystal set at the top. “I’m no mage, but I will assume that this will do?” The girl took it cautiously, letting the weight of it sink in. She could feel her own magic flowing through her chest and hands, and into the staff itself. After a moment she glanced up, “It.. will do. Th-thank you.”

“You are welcome. Now you can defend yourself, in any case.”

She glanced up at the bridge, sighing with her brows creased, “We will have to find another way to the forward camp. I am not too sure if this frozen river will take us where was want to go, but we will need to try.” She started her descent up the bank, climbing a few nature-made steps to get to higher ground. Once at the top, she looked over her shoulder back at her prisoner, the elven girl. “Are you coming?”

The girl nodded tentatively, hurrying after. She used her newfound staff as a walking stick, the crystal giving off a faint blue glow with every step. It made her feel a little more safe, knowing she had a way to protect herself, even if she wasn’t sure how she did so in the first place. It was a surprise to learn that she was a mage, and not the good kind of surprise either. She was afraid of herself, of her abilities. How well could she control them, she wondered? She could not remember anything about herself, let alone how to cast any sort of spell. 

She supposed she would have to find out. 

The ground started to quake under their feet, the trees nearby shaking so hard that the snow fell right off their branches. Cassandra almost fell backward into the girl but caught her balance with a small boulder to grip. The girl used her staff, digging it into the snow for leverage. Off in the distance, they could hear shouting and the clang of metal on stone. Cassandra’s eyes lit up, “Up ahead, we must be close! You can hear the fighting.”

“Who’s fighting?” The girl asked, managing a few steps without falling down. The world suddenly stilled, the shaking stopped. Cassandra straightened her armor, marching ahead once more, “You will see. We must help them.” The elf nodded, hurrying after her protector. 

Around the corner, they came across a bloody scene. There were demons surrounding many men in armor, and some without. They were being cornered and cut down, the demons slicing their sharp claws into the men’s flesh and bone, killing on impact. A hole in the air was shooting green lightning and stones, similar to that of the Breach above. It was smaller, however, and suspended only a few paces above the ground. 

Cassandra let out a battle cry, charging into the line of demons with her sword and shield drawn, nothing but pure determination and courage on her face. The girl, on the other hand, held back, gripping her staff so tight she could feel the wood splinter into her palms. There was no pain, for she was numb. Her knuckles turned as white as her face, her eyes wide and staring at the carnage ahead. 

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning, purple in color, shocking every demon in the valley. They all screeched, some dying from the impact, while others turned to the one who cast the spell upon them. In their distracted state, several were shot down by an array of arrows from the sky, and the last was sliced by Cassandra’s sword. 

The remaining men who were alive started to hurry away, getting as far from the rift as they could. Cassandra turned and looked at the elven girl, shouting, “That is a rift! Try to seal it, quickly! Or there will be more demons upon us soon!” The girl trembled, her knees shaking under her dress. What was she to do? How could she close it? It was literally a hole in the very air, a door between this world and the next. Her heart pounded against her ribs, her lungs beginning to seize- she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t do it. She was a failure. A failure and she was going to just sit there and watch as the demons came and killed-

A man was beside her, taking her left hand and holding it towards the rift. A green stream of light shot from her palm and towards the rift, connecting with the hole itself. She could feel a strange sort of magic rising in her fingers and up towards her wrist, a tingling sensation mixed with pain. It was stinging. She cried out in surprise and fear.

And just like that, the rift was suddenly closed, a small explosion left in its wake. It shook the ground, knocking everyone in the area back several paces. 

Cassandra sheathed her sword, smiling at the girl, “You did it. You sealed the rift- it worked.” Where normally the girl would have responded, she instead was staring at the man who was still holding her hand. He quickly let it go, taking a step away from her to give her some space, his hands held up to show he was no threat. He was elven.

She did not know who she was, but there was some sort of familiarity with his presence. Like she had met him before.

“Well, that was lucky. You got here in the nick of time, Seeker. I thought we were all going to be demon chow for sure.” A strange and unknown voice came from behind her, causing her to turn around. And look down. 

A dwarf was walking towards them, a blood-splattered crossbow on his back. He had a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his lips, his sights set on Cassandra. She rolled her eyes, “Varric, why are you even here? I told you that you were free to go.” He tsked at her, wagging his finger, “Ah Seeker, and miss out on all the demon-fighting glory? You obviously don’t know me too well.” He turned his attention to the girl, glancing at her hand for a mere second before meeting her gaze. “The name’s Varric. I’m the most handsome dwarf you will ever meet, and the deadliest this side of Kirkwall,” he paused to wink. The girl flushed a little, not sure how to respond. He pulled on his glove, “I take it you’re the one who will save us all then?”

She stammered a reply, shaking her head, “I hardly think I-I’m capable of..” She couldn’t quite finish, not even sure how to respond. Varric smiled, his expression kind, “What’s your name, Freckles?” She was quiet a mere moment before murmuring, “I don’t know.”

“She has no memory whatsoever, Varric,” Cassandra spoke up, “Including her name.” 

Varric frowned, “Well then until you get your memories back, I’ll just have to call you Freckles.”

The elven man cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the others. He looked to ‘Freckles,’ “Well if we are introducing ourselves, my name is Solas. And it seems that, even if you doubt yourself, you hold the key to our salvation.” The girl gripped her staff once more, using it for support. She swallowed her terror, “How can you be so sure?” She asked, unable to look him in the eyes. Her face was red. 

Solas used his own staff to lean on, “I’m not. But you just closed this rift with little more than a hand wave. I have faith that you can close the Breach as well-” the ground shook, Varric and Cassandra grabbing onto the large stones for balance, “And it seems you will need to do so soon. We don’t have much time.”

Cassandra started walking ahead, “Then let us hurry. The forward camp is just up this hill a ways.” Varric followed, pulling his crossbow out and arming it. The girl stood behind for a moment, staring up at the Breach again. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. 

“Do not be frightened,” Solas said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper as to not be heard by the others. She peered at him, strands of brown hair hanging loosely in her face. She must have looked like the walking dead. There were bodies surrounding her, and the sky was falling as they breathed. She found it in herself to reply, “How could you say that? How could you be so brave and confident and-and..and..” A tear rose to her eye, pooling over when she blinked. It slid down her cheek to her chin. Solas took a step towards her, his voice still when he answered, “I am none of those things. But I know how to remain calm and not let my fear control me. You must also learn how to control your fear. To close the Breach, you will need to feign bravery.” 

He made it sound so easy.


	2. Prologue: Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having banded together with a small group, the unnamed girl is on her way to close the Breach. Though danger lurks at every corner, and the reality of the world falling apart starts to take a toll on her. Will she make it in time?
> 
> \--
> 
> An Aminthia Lavellan story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: content includes anxiety attacks, panic attacks, disassociation, blood, and vomit.  
> Please read on with caution.

The hill to the Forward Camp was steep, not at all friendly to the barefoot elven girl as she used her wooden staff to keep from sliding. Under the snow was a slick layer of ice that was causing difficulties for the whole party. Cassandra lead the way, her heavy armor weighing her down, though she didn’t look phased. Perhaps a little annoyed, but not too bothered otherwise. 

Solas hiked with a kind of grace that could only be described as wild and natural as if he had climbed icy mountains in the midst of a blizzard before. By the look of him, she actually didn’t doubt that he had. 

Varric, on the other hand, was struggling, lagging behind by a few paces. When Cassandra glanced back at him unamused, he made a quip about having short legs compared to her ‘obnoxiously’ long ones, “...so don’t roll your eyes at me, Seeker.”

Arriving at the top of the hill felt like a feat of its own, even though she was frozen and her legs were numb. Nonetheless, she succeeded and could see the camp ahead. Another large bridge leading toward the Conclave was just before it, large wooden doors sealed closed with armed guards standing on either side. Reaching their destination, the guards placed their arms across their chests in respect to Cassandra as the doors opened. She returned the gesture in kind, stopping to ask how many wounded or dead had been counted. 

The number was too high.

The elven girl paused as well, a lump forming in her throat at the news. So many lives lost or destroyed, and yet here she was alive- even if barely- and possibly the reason for all this devastation. She must have had a lost and depressed look on her face, for Solas caught her attention with a nudge from his staff against hers, prompting her to follow Cassandra once more. They walked toward a large tent set up on the other side of the bridge. Upon closer inspection, they could see Leliana was there, speaking with a man in a white robe. He must have been with the Chantry, or what was left of it.

The man in robes was angry, slamming his hands down flat on the table in front of him, papers and quills scattering to the ground from force. “We have no choice! This is the only way, whether you want to believe that or not, sister.” Venom dripped from his last word, his eyes on her like a hawk, daring her to argue. Leliana didn’t even flinch, instead, ignoring his tantrum and turning to Cassandra with a smile, “Oh good, you made it. For a moment there I was starting to worry. The fighting in the valley is getting worse.”

Cassandra responded with the slightest nod of her head, resting her hands on the hilt of her sword, “If it weren’t for the apostate-”

“And me, the handsome and dashing rogue,” Varric added with a sing-song tone.

“-we wouldn’t have made it this far. The demons are growing in numbers and threaten everyone,” she paused to glance at the elven girl, then back to Leliana, “...and it seems our prisoner is a mage as well. Something we hadn’t considered until I saw her solidify a demon in ice with my own eyes.” Leliana frowned, although her eyes were calculating and thoughtful, “That complicates things,” she agreed. 

The girl then remembered how small she really was, acutely aware that she was nauseous and freezing, two things she was not a fan of. She was a mage, somehow. She froze a demon to save herself, somehow.  
She was still a prisoner of the Chantry, and the only suspect they had who could have caused all of this death and devastation. She felt herself paling, gripping her staff as tightly as she could just to stay standing. She feared that if she let go she would surely collapse, or faint, or both.

Solas made a point to tap his staff on the ground, gaining everyone’s attention. “She was able to seal a rift with little trouble if that accounts for anything,” he motioned towards the giant hole in the sky, “And mage or not, she has not made any attempt to flee or act only for herself, vowing instead to try and help seal the Breach.” Cassandra nodded in agreement, “Yes, that is true.” She turned toward the girl, whose knees were shaking in the cold, “You could have run at any time, but instead chose to stay-”

“What does it matter what she chose or didn’t choose to do?” The chantry man spoke up, having been silent and listening this whole time. He pointed an accusing finger at the girl and spat, “If she is a mage, then she should be chained and muzzled! That only makes this whole thing that much worse doesn’t it? A mage killed the Divine and everyone else with her! Destroying the world was just an added benefit wasn’t it girl?” His words stung more than the cold wind against her bare legs, his expression twisted into anger and hatred. Hatred towards her, she realized. Hatred towards what she might have done, what she most likely did do. And that made her sick.  
She turned and let go of her staff, the wooden thing clattering to the ground, and instead gripped the stone of the bridge’s walls as she vomited over the side, coughing and retching when nothing but bile would come up. Cassandra took this cue to turn towards the man and slam her fist on the table, gaining his attention as he jumped, and then pointed her gloved finger in his face, “Listen here Chancellor, you have no power here and none of us have any real idea about what may or may not have happened. Our prisoner has no memories to speak of, but she has agreed to help us close the Breach, so we must act now to stop further deaths from happening.”  
The Chancellor grimaced, “No memory, huh? I’m sure that’s just a coincidence then, isn’t it? Or is she lying to save her own hide?” He glanced at the girl as she held onto the side of the bridge for support, her legs shaking under her own weight. A look of pity crossed his eyes for a moment before they hardened again, looking back at Cassandra, “I’m warning you Seeker, you cannot trust her no matter how weak or innocent she may seem or act. She killed the Divine-”

“I have not forgotten, Roderick,“ Cassandra interrupted. She waved her hand as if to dismiss him, “I will repeat myself only once: you have no power here. You will follow the rest of the survivors back to Haven while we go on to the Temple.” Roderick’s eyebrows furrowed, “How dare you demand anything of me, the Chantry-”

“Has no say,” Leliana piped in, her hands behind her back. She looked tall and regal in her stance. “The Chantry isn’t here, this is a battlefield. You will do as Cassandra says if you want to live.”

After a long moment of looking between the two women, Roderick threw up his hands in defeat, “This is a pointless task, but fine. You go and get yourselves killed. May the consequences be on your heads.” With that, the Chancellor grabbed a few papers and started towards the gate where the party had come from, a couple soldiers waiting for him. He paused before leaving altogether and turned back around, pointing at the girl, “If you survive this, and Maker I hope you do, there will be a trial, and you will be hanged for everything you’ve done.”

She gulped, refusing to look at him as he vanished beyond the doors and down the path. She had waited until he was completely gone to peer up and see that everyone was staring at her. Varric took the hesitant step towards her and placed a comforting hand on her back, “Hey, you okay there, Freckles?” He wasn’t sure if he asked the right thing because of course, she wasn’t okay. She was most likely going to die, and if she didn’t die, she was still going to die. No matter what she did, she was at the end of her rope. Literally, if hanged. The urge to puke again became strong, but luckily there was nothing in her stomach to throw up. Instead, she looked over the edge of the bridge at the frozen river below and cried. 

Cassandra turned to Leliana, “We need to get to the Temple as soon as possible. Bring as many of your soldiers as you can, because I do not think we will be alone there. The Breach is bigger than any of the Rift’s we have seen, and I am positive there will be many more demons as we get closer to it.” She looked at Solas to confirm, yet he was staring intently at the girl with the glowing mark. He peered at Cassandra after a moment, “I can say the demons will also be larger as well as stronger,” he added, looking back at the girl to watch her posture as she seemed to grow smaller hearing that news.

‘I’m going to die,’ she thought to herself. ‘I’m going to die lost and alone, with no idea of who I am or where I belong or if I have a family or…’ Tears streamed down her face, making a mess of tangled brown hair and snot and bile and dirt, her eyes and cheeks red as the blood that splattered in the snow below her. 

Blood?

She wiped at her face and saw blood on the back of her hand. Her nose was bleeding. She wiped at her face with urgency, trying to wipe all the blood and sweat and tears away. She only succeeded in smearing it instead.  
Varric put his hand on her shoulder, gearing her toward him, “Hey Freckles, calm down, it’s okay. You can’t be saving the world if you’re like this,” he smiled a sincere smile though it only made her choke back a sob as she tried to take a deep breath, “V-Varric, how can- how can I save the world? I’m-m-m worthless, and I-I-I did this and-” 

He stopped her with a handkerchief, having pulled it from his jacket. He placed it to her nose to try stopping the bleeding, “Take a deep breath through your mouth, Freckles,” he said in a calming tone. She tried, her breath wavering and unsteady. 

“Good, now breathe out your nose, a long slow breath.” 

She did as he asked, hiccuping down a sob while doing so. Taking the handkerchief from him to hold it herself, she wiped the tears and blood from her nose and mouth. She could still taste the bile on her tongue, but tried to distract herself from it by focusing on Varric instead.

He was smiling at her, his eyes as kind as his smile, “Good. There, see? You’re going to be okay. You’re strong and brave, and you’re going to save the world. Because if you don’t, then we’re all in deep shit, got it?”  
Nodding slightly, wiping away the last of her tears, she gave him a small smile. She held out his handkerchief to offer it back, but he held out his hands, “Uh… you can keep that. Think of it as a personal gift from yours truly.”

Solas had been observing this interaction, his thoughts kept private from everyone else as his expression gave nothing away. He abruptly turned to Cassandra, his hands holding tight to his staff, “What is the plan now, Seeker?” 

She blinked in surprise at him, having been focused on the well-being of the elven girl before her concentration was broken. “Well,” she started, crossing her arms, “Now we must take the mountain path in order to get to the Conclave. Hopefully, her mark can close the Breach once we are there.”

The girl glanced over at them, weakly leaning against the wall of the bridge as she still held Varric’s handkerchief to her mouth. Varric gave her a reassuring smile, “Hey, we can do this. Let’s go kick some demon ass, huh?”  
“Varric, that’s hardly appropriate when she-”

“Oh calm down, Seeker. Can’t you see I’m making her feel better? My winning smile and charming personality are clearly making a lasting impression on the girl.”

Behind the rag, she smiled ever so slightly. 

\-----

The unnamed girl regretted having thought the hike to the Forward Camp was difficult. As it turned out, hiking up a mountain was even more so. Everything ached, and she knew that if she survived this, she would be in pain for many moons to come. 

Cresting over another hill, the party took in the scene of another bloody battlefield below. Cries from both soldiers and demons came from all around them, reminding them that where they stood was not safe. There must have been smaller rifts nearby.

Cassandra came to a stop, her breath like clouds wafting in the wind. She stared up at the Temple that was just before them, the Breach larger and more chaotic than any of them could have imagined looming overhead. Varric came up beside her, his hands gripping his crossbow tightly, “Come on, Seeker. Let’s get this over with.”

Her lips tightened into a firm frown as she gave a curt nod. She started walking once more, her steps full of determination. The rest of the party followed closely behind, watching cautiously for danger.

Trying to avoid looking at, or stepping on, any of the bodies, the girl kept her pace quick in order to keep up with Solas. She held her head high, refusing to look down at the blood-stained snow, and clung to her staff tightly. He must have noticed for he slowed his pace just enough for her to keep up.

Coming upon the destruction and devastation of the Temple was a shock to them all. The girl felt her knees weaken once again and had to use her staff as a way of support. Fires that should have died days ago still burned, a scent of boiling flesh and bone clinging to the air. Large jagged crystals had erupted from the ground, piercing the sky with a red glow that whispered in a language unknown.

There were bodies everywhere. Charred and blackened, mouths gaping open in an eternal scream. The red glow of the surrounding crystals almost seemed to be echoing those final cries of the dead. It was haunting.

Cassandra’s face paled, her grip tightening onto the handle of her sword turning her knuckles white. She stared at the temple with an expression of loss. Varric stood beside her, his own expression one of shock. 

After several long moments that felt like an eternity, Varric took a step forward gesturing towards the crystals with his hand, “Don’t touch those. They’re bad shit.”

Finally finding her voice, Cassandra quipped, “How would you know, Varric?”

He just shook his head, “It’s red lyrium. Just trust me when I say to not go playing or jumping on it. Though, I’ve never seen so much before.” He sighed, his eyebrows furrowing, “I didn’t even know that more than what Hawke and I found in the Deep Roads even existed.”

Solas pointed his staff towards the Breach, “Thank you for the heads up, child of the stone, but we cannot afford to stand around for any longer. The sooner we close the Breach, the sooner we may, how did you phrase it, save the world.”

Varric shrugged his shoulders, “Alright then, Chuckles. Let’s go save the world.”

\-----

Inside the temple, there were no inner walls, not anymore. It was like walking into one large room, that held several stories of walkway. The red crystals that lined the outer walls and floor all whispered, sounding other-worldly. It was hard for the girl to ignore them, having slowed her pace from the rest of the group to look at one. It was large, larger than the others, and its glow seemed to call to her. She couldn’t understand it, yet she knew that it was ‘talking’ to her, tempting her to place her hand upon it. 

Varric grabbed her outstretched hand, “Whoa there Freckles. I know it’s shiny, but don’t go touching things that talk to you in your head.” He tugged on her, pulling her away and back towards the rest of the party. She glanced back at the crystal one last time, before pulling her gaze away and breaking the spell. It felt as though a weight was lifted from her mind. 

At the center of the Temple lay a large green crystal, almost larger than the Temple itself, jagged and sharp at the edges as it was jutting up towards the sky. Smaller red crystals grew from it, and near the top was a large Rift, smaller than the Breach, but obviously connected to it. 

Solas motioned towards the Rift, “There. Close that, and you may seal the Breach.”

The girl flinched, “That? It’s so high up- how will I-I ever reach it?” 

She didn’t get a reply, for another voice joined in, a familiar one. “Oh, good. I see you made it just fine. I was worried for a moment.” Leliana stepped out of the shadows and joined with Cassandra, concern written on her features. “Are you sure that the prisoner can seal this?”

Cassandra nodded, “I have to be sure. Because otherwise, we’re all doomed.”

Leliana pursed her lips. She looked around at the soldiers she brought with her, they too stepping out into the light. Many of them were in formation around the Rift, bows and swords drawn in case of a demon attack.  
“This rift is closed,” Solas declared, “She must first open it before she can seal it properly.” He turned to the elven girl, glancing at her hand for a moment before making eye contact, “You must go down there and reach towards the Rift. Let your magic draw it open, not unlike how you closed the smaller one before. Once it is open, you will close it the same way. Then, if my calculations are correct, the Breach will be closed. Like a door to the Fade being slammed shut.”

She shook her head, swallowing her fear, which tasted oddly like bile, “I-I will try. But what if I can’t? What if it doesn’t work? What if-”

“Calm down, Freckles. Let’s take this one step at a time, okay?” Varric gave her an encouraging grin, “We can do this.”

“Yes, though I should mention that once the Rift is opened, the likelihood of larger demons emerging is very great. So everyone should be prepared for a battle more deadly than those around the smaller Rifts.”

The girls face paled, all blood draining from her cheeks. She stared in wide-eyed horror at the Rift, imagining all the death she was about to witness. 

“Did you have to say that while she was listening?” Varric shot Solas a disapproving glare as he took the girls hand and lead her down the stairs towards the center of the Temple. Solas frowned, though soon followed. 

“Get your people ready,” Cassandra ordered Leliana, “We don’t know what will come of this. If there’s to be a fight, then we shall not die in vain.”

\-----

It was easier this time to get the magic from her hand to connect to the Rift, yet it still hurt immensely. She let out a cry as it felt as though her life was being sucked out through her palm, and then forced back into her when the Rift exploded open with a thundering bang. She was thrown back several feet onto her side with a thud. 

Instantly demons flowed from the hole in the sky, the largest one causing the earth to shake when it landed on the ground. Standing to its full height that towered over the soldiers, it started laughing maniacally. Electricity filled the air, crackling around them as it formed what looked to be a whip made of lightning. 

“Pride!” Cassandra shouted.

Many of the soldiers didn’t stand a chance. 

Leliana and Cassandra watched as their men were killed on impact from the whip. Shouting in anger, Cassandra banged her sword on her shield to try and steal it’s attention away from any more, trying to avoid more deaths, “I’m here!” She shouted, “Fight a real warrior!”

The elven girl somehow found the strength to stand, even though her vision was spotted and blurred. Using her staff for support, she watched as Cassandra charged Pride head on without fear, plunging her sword deep into the monster’s leg. With a cry, the demon swiped its arm down to try and knock her away, yet she held onto her sword with all her might. 

A wall of arrows came down upon a smaller group of demons, Shades, who had cornered some soldiers, taking them out quickly. 

The girl knew she had to close the Rift in order to stop the fighting. Hopefully, by closing the Breach, the demons would go back to where they came from. Hopefully. 

How was she supposed to get back to the Rift? Demons were swarming everyone, and before long they would see and swarm her too. Without notice Solas was by her side, putting his own staff into her hands and taking the wooden one back. 

If she looked closely, she could almost see electricity on his skin.

“Take this,” he instructed, “It has more powerful magic. I placed a spell on it so you will go unseen for a short while. Hurry, before it fades and the spirits can see you again.”

With a sudden determination, or perhaps a spell that made her feel that way, she nodded. Weaving her way through the battlefield, watching as both demons and soldiers killed each other, each step grew timider. Her hands began to shake and her chest began to tighten. Every footfall grew slower as the world around her started to grow louder and louder. Screams and cries were filling her head. Everything was turning black, then red, then black again. She couldn’t breathe.

“Don’t let the crystal’s talk to you, kid!” Varric shouted above it all, his face suddenly appearing before her. “Don’t listen to them, just keep going!”

She somehow found herself under the Rift. 

It was high above her, green crystals jutting from its gaping mouth as it seeped the Fade into the real world. Her breathing was uneven and sporadic, her vision red and blurry. Then it was black, and everything was black. She couldn’t breathe. 

Nothing made sense anymore- what was she supposed to be doing? Where was she? Why was she holding this staff? It made no sense.

Nothing made sense. 

“-it!”

A voice?

“-ose it!” 

There were abrupt hands on her shoulders, shaking her. She blinked several times before her vision became clear and Cassandra was standing before her. “Close it!” She screamed as she shook her. Blood seeped down the side of her face from an unseen wound under her hair. It covered her eye in red. The girl gasped when she saw it, her eyes widening as her breath suddenly became normal, “Cassandra, y-your head!”

“Do not worry about me,” she spat, “You need to close the Rift!” 

She noticed that Cassandra’s face was paler than normal. Her grip was tight on her shoulders, but her fingers were slipping, her hands shaking. “Cassandra,” she pleaded, “You’re not okay, you need-”

Unexpectedly Cassandra’s hands loosened, sliding from the girl's shoulders as her face lost all expression and she slumped forward. The girl dropped her staff to catch the warrior, crying out in confusion as they both slipped to the ground. “Cassandra? Cassandra!”

She didn’t know the warrior, not really. Yet she knew her more than she knew herself. Through all of this, they had survived together. A powerful urge came over the girl to save this strong woman, the only one who stood up for her against the Chantry and against the world. The first one to believe her when she said she didn’t know who she was, or what had happened. 

Hands shaking violently, arms cradling Cassandra in her lap, she felt a powerful, instinctual, urge to place her hands over the other woman’s chest. Magic began to flow from her own heart, through her arms, and out of her palms. It was not the same as when closing Rifts, this was different. This magic felt peaceful, pure, and powerful. It was not painful. It was coming from a deep part of herself, and it was connecting her own heart to Cassandra’s. 

Her hands were bathed in a light green glow that only lasted a few heartbeats. Once it was over, she let out a deep breath, not realizing that she was holding it all this time, and all at once felt very tired. 

Cassandra’s eyes fluttered open before she pushed herself up off the ground, “What-?” She looked around, confused, then at the girl, “What are you doing?” She almost sounded angry, “Close the Rift!” She stood up, grabbing the girls hands and pulling her up as well, “Close it! We don’t have much time!” 

Pride laughed nearby, his whip crashing down on more soldiers. There was only a handful left now. 

“Close it!” Cassandra pleaded, taking the girls hands in her own, “Please!”

She felt so tired. She just wanted to sleep. Her vision was growing dark again at the corners of her eyes, her hands quivering.Then in front of her was Solas, his hands taking her shoulders, his fingers digging into her skin to ground her, “Look at me,” he said, “Focus on me. Focus on my voice. We do not have any more time. You need to close the Rift, or it will be too late.”

‘Where did Cassandra go?’

“Listen to me _lethallan_ : close the Rift.”

‘Am I… is this a dream? Why can’t I feel my own body anymore..?’

“Lethallan,” Solas’ voice was becoming more urgent.

She blinked, the world suddenly slamming back into her with force. Everything was chaos around her, people and demons screaming their blood-curdling screams, and the Rift was still dripping into the real world just above her. 

And Solas was standing in front of her. His eyes were full of concern, just for a moment, before they lit up, “Good, you’re here,” he said. “Close the Rift. I will help you if I can.”

She saw Cassandra a little ways away, fending off a larger Shade demon. “Is Cassandra okay?” She asked, her voice shaking and sounding far away, “I healed her, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. And It took a lot out of you. Please, focus on the Rift.”

Taking a deep trembling breath, she turned and looked up. The Rift was taunting her, the red crystals nearby calling to her. She still felt weak. She still felt hopeless. She still felt as though she couldn’t actually do it. But she tried. 

And with one final stand, her hand outstretched towards the sky, she felt the magic from the mark once more make a connection with the hole that hung in the air. She shrieked, the pain burning her arm and down into her chest, once again pulling her own life force from her. 

Her vision went black. She heard an explosion. She was so tired.

Then there was nothing. She could finally sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! Please be dears and leave a kudos or a comment if you liked this 'chapter!' I will be posting the first official chapter soon, where we deviate a bit away from the storyline of the game and get new dialogue. 
> 
> For those who were confused or unsure, Aminthia (the unnamed girl) is going through A LOT right now, and thus this results in a panic attack that leads to dissociating. Part of this could be just from her panicking, but I wouldn't doubt the red lyrium had anything to do with it. 
> 
> \---
> 
> Lethallan - Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar.


End file.
